All Change In Time

♥

It hadn’t taken long to reach Sesshomaru’s lair, with the aide of Kaede’s directions and the lack of Sango and Shippou’s weight. The group was indeed tired, but the anxious truth of Kagome’s location appointed them to a higher sense of awareness. It was as though they were running on meager reserves, moving only with the sake of the faint winds still roaming the lands. The storms had begun to waylay into the horizon, tunneling the rainy season away until next year. Daylight framed the weary fighters’ faces, etching a firm expression of distress for memory lane.

Inuyasha’s face was by far the worst, haggard from his lessening hours of sleep. He hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep since Kagome’s disappearing act, and even before then, her supposed ill slumber made his less than 100%. His mouth pressed into a firm line, and he kept pressing forward…wrestling with his aching body for every motion he took. Briefly he found himself imagining that Kagome would be safely kept in the custody of Sesshomaru, and it would only take a fierce battle to get her back. But he knew that in reality, this scene was smeared with the stench of Naraku. Already his nose reeled at the aroma, fitfully sorting about the air of pain, fear, hope, and anger. These emotions made him pause, feet fumbling weakly for the crumbling earth.

Miroku immediately breezed by him, looking over his shoulder curiously. The royal purple of his attire fluttered noiseless while he too came to a short stop, letting a quite rattle of breath be his only sigh of weakness. He was only a monk after all…he could not hold so well to Inuyasha’s demanding exertions, even with a fuller schedule of sleep. Dark circles decorated the slanted bottoms of his eyes, and he squinted, struggling to see the conflict on his ally’s face. There was nothing besides a faint hint of philosophical interest, Inuyasha’s ears brought together at their tips with an exaggerated sweep. Miroku said nothing however, for he knew that the air was whittling a story that could indeed foreshadow their journey so that their running might be shorter.

“ Nothing like toad.” Inuyasha muttered.

“ What?” Miroku asked, tilting his head. He was suddenly worried that Inuyasha was delusional or perhaps temporarily insane, but he had severe wishes that this was wrong. If the half demon went rouge and decided to go on a rampage for toads, there would be nothing to stop him. In fact, only Kagome’s wicked incantation seemed to muster the force required to stop Inuyasha at all. At least, that…and Kikyou’s demands.

“ I said, “ Inuyasha repeated, putting his hands on his hips, “ nothing like toad. Are you deaf now, too?”

The snide comment made Miroku shift irritably, for he felt that this mission had no time for toads. Inuyasha should have known better than to stop. Already, the calves in Miroku’s legs were melting, tempting him to lean on the firmer half of his staff. The golden rings that looped the staff’s top jingled while he moved against them, this being the only noise other than comical snuffs by Inuyasha as he investigated the air.

Inuyasha’s chin tilted delicately up, acquainting his nose with a better “angle” for searching. His nostrils twitched, summoning the rancid sweat of a familiar demon. “ Toad!” He pointed and yelled, not quite recalling Sesshomaru’s loyal sidekick’s name, but he stepped forward all the same, grinning in triumph.

Miroku inclined his head with interest as the water reeds to their left began to shake, and then bend completely to birth their captive. Jaken was hunched, clasping his hands before him, but he did not seem angry at being found. Rather…he had the gaze of a creature caught in a trap, his reptilian features building with grotesque clarity. Miroku had to admit he always held pity for the tiny demon, wondering just how he attracted anyone with his shrieking voice and his green flesh. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what he and his breed called courtship. Discretely he shuddered, standing up straighter so he could keep alert. The beast might be small and weaponless, but he was well known for his cowardly traps and tricks.

“ Sesshomaru!” Jaken looked at Inuyasha fondly, unfolding his hands and holding them up for a brief cheer, which died when he discovered that this was not his master. As thought accusing Inuyasha of this mistaken identity being his fault, he pointed at the disgruntled halfling. “ You are not Sesshomaru! You are an imposter! Go away!” Dismissing them both, he turned neatly on one heel and began to retreat back into the weeds he had emerged from. The last of his giant head was squandering away when Inuyasha reached forward and grabbed the back of his garment, ripping him from the ground with a hearty growl. Kirara and Miroku both winced when Jaken began screaming, as his wails always had distinct amplitude that was painful to witness.

Inuyasha was not a fan of this noise either, and decided that shaking the little demon in mid air would improve this situation. Opposite of this, it only made his voice swell and rocket from weak to astounding. Inuyasha flattened his ears and frantically shook him now, yelling for the panicked reptile to cease his cries. It only worked when Jaken was disoriented from his abuse, his eyes rolling in their protruding pockets with fantastic ability. His breath unsteady, Inuyasha stopped shaking him, but didn’t bother to soften the tone of his voice when he addressed his hostage. “ Where is Sesshomaru? I need to speak with him. He has Kagome, and I want her back.” He set Jaken down, but it was evident he was ready to trash him should the servant deny information. As though he decided he hadn’t said enough, he nodded and finished with a final, incomplete statement. “Now.”

Until this time Miroku had been quite certain that Jaken had no actual human features besides a small incline of cheeks that met in the middle for a chin. But as he observed, Jaken suddenly managed to conjure a bottom lip, which pooched in what could have only been a pout. He rubbed his hands on his neck, recovering somewhat before he answered. “ Sesshomaru is angry with me.” Inuyasha leaned his head down, as though prodding for more of the sentence, but his expectant wait was fruitless, as this seemed to be all Jaken had to say.

Rudely, Inuyasha scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Who cares!? Where is Kagome?”

Jaken eyed Inuyasha with what could be no less than hatred, and pouted his lips more. “ I care!” He nodded savagely, but then continued. “ The slave was in the gardens while Sesshomaru was in the castle. Naraku took her, and Sesshomaru went to go retrieve his property. Not like he should or anything. She wasn’t of any use to him. He acts like humans have some value. I was glad when Rin was taken by Naraku as well.”

Miroku’s brows shot up in surprise at the little fellow before them. Kirara, not really comprehending this very well (and who could blame her, for Jaken was hard for even humans to understand), twitched with boredom and yawned after adjusting her tail along side her. It seemed this demon did have some bite on his tongue! The ebon haired monk couldn’t suppress a chuckle, which earned him scathing looks from all 3 of the witnesses. Ducking under the glares, Miroku corrected the demon by wagging his finger. “ Value,” he said, “ comes in all shapes of gold.”

Jaken could have cared less it seemed, and proved this by angrily gesturing at the offending lecher who in turn took an equally angry step forward. Inuyasha had evidently heard enough, and before Miroku could get his hands on the green demon, Inuyasha reached forward, seized Jaken by the head, and while struggling to keep a good grip without splitting his skull, hauled back his arm and chunked the terrorized thing back into the reeds. There was a thin silence, before the heavy splash of Jaken’s landing assured everyone that he had indeed arrived at a different location. “ We’ve heard enough,” Inuyasha said quietly, hoisting his shoulders up. “ Kagome is with Naraku…we need to get there before he gets too bored with her.”

Miroku forgot his honor and left Jaken where he had been tossed, nodding fretfully at his friend. “Right.” He would have no time to feel depression…no time to feel flaws. Inuyasha’s eyes were haunted with more guilt than had ever been held in those amber eyes before, and their sadness lectured the monk on the importance of his efforts. He only hoped that Kagome was still alive, for the sake that this thick depression would be lifted once and for all.

♥

No helot of Naraku’s had ever retaliated with such words like Sesshomaru had. After his acts of ungodly abuse for the once precious Rin, Naraku had taken formidable interest in the anger radiating from the Lord that was chained before him. A hilt had been taken to his head after some time, but with a mild wave of his hand within 5 minutes, Naraku dismissed the beating and sat cross-legged from the confused Sesshomaru, tilting his head in malicious glee. Truthfully, he had more fun watching this than he had taking Rin’s reserved innocence.

Speaking of Rin, she was now crouched quietly in a corner, struggling to contain the fright within her, but the shouts of Sesshomaru made her shame burn with more intensity, causing her tiny hands to shake as she held to her knees. She barely peeked at her fatherly figure, mistaking his rage to be her own fault…for letting Naraku take her so closely without even attempting to fight back. She felt sick. At the lower half of her abdomen, fierce pain struck her whenever she tried to move, and this kept her cemented to her fetal position, her breathing rapidly becoming more and more of a labor. Nauseous, she tried to take wise insight on her physical quirks, giving a go at what medical doctors would have trouble deciphering. She thought about what hurt, and what might have caused it, but each symptom only brought one cause: Naraku.

Each time she thought the name she swelled inside with a conflict of fear and anger, the bitter resentment of her pride laying in ruins. A framework of reason supported her inner desire to impose revenge, and she closed her fists tightly, looking at last over to where her enemy sat. Hazel eyes narrowed, spying on the beast that had done every bit of hurt possible to her, and she began to stand, feeling the shadows “clothe” her naked flesh. There was a franchise being formed here, lacing on her future to the fact that after this, she would very likely be killed or raped again. But she would not let her father think she had taken this with happiness!

Sesshomaru’s string of obscene directions for Naraku was cut short by the howling fit Rin put up. He could only watch, horrified, as she left the safety of her corner and charged straight at their prosecutor. She had pulled her lips back over her teeth as though an animal, and with little more than 60 lbs. of force she leaped at him within a 4-foot range. She was mid air when Naraku turned on her, gracefully placing his fist in the cage of her ribs, glingling the body like it was nothing more than paper. Spittle and blood peeled from the open girl’s mouth, and with a gaze of awkward confusion, she flew straight overhead and skidded to a halt a discarded 3 yards away facedown. She made no sound…no movement. Sesshomaru searched desperately for any sign of life, and when there was none within a few seconds, he thrashed with even more vigor, his voice actually breaking as he screamed the girl’s name.

But this act was unnecessary, as Rin gave a tiny gasp of air before a shuddering sob broke her pause. It was the mewling cries that a child makes when it is spanked, but it was much weaker, hindered greatly by the bruises and cuts that hosted the body. Naraku stood, reaching over and easily hoisting her to her feet, before tapping her nose with ironic care and purring to her, his eyes creasing with a lean, terrible smile. “Now now, slave,” he scolded, “ there is nothing to gain by attacking your master. We will leave now. Because you can’t behave, you’ve now lost your privileges to see your Father.”

Rin was suddenly very sorry indeed. “Please! Please don’t make me leave him!” She pleaded and even drew her hands together, kneeling before Naraku with all her pent and treasured dignity banished with the poising of a prayer. “ I’ll be good! I promise!”

But Naraku was reassured that this was indeed a way to pry even deeper in the emotions of both Sesshomaru and Rin. For as she begged, he begged as well, and he subdued himself and feel back against his bindings, the raw wrists and ankles flushing an angry red. As though he had won a medal, he turned to Sesshomaru, licking his lips while he leaned in very near. “ You’re daughter tastes so wonderful. Are you sure you only want her to stay because you miss her? Or because you want some of her for yourself?” Sesshomaru blinked, dumbfounded, while Naraku crossed his arms and laughed. “ Go ahead. I won’t tell anyone.”

The submissive character in the Lord was not strong after all. Spurred by a hot spear in his head, Sesshomaru came forward and nearly removed his arms from their sockets trying to get his claws into the soft skin of Naraku, his mouth open and skillfully throwing everything he had at him. But Naraku was unimpressed, and proved this with doubtless precision.


First he removed the cut of Sesshomaru’s words by bringing his talons up and along the demon Lord’s face, massacring the beautiful lips that wielded them. The teeth were indeed now bare, the flesh splintering easily from the assault, the dull dungeon light reflecting from the bloody canines with a wonderful gloss. Sesshomaru flew back from the hand with panic, throwing his head from side to side, the screams replacing the curses he had been so eagerly saying just moments ago. His amber eyes were shut, sealing their pain, and Naraku decided he wanted them to remain this way. This explained why he singled out the tools, striking them with the blunt force of his fist, and taking sick pleasure in the way the eyes almost exploded under the pressure. Thanks to Sesshomaru’s uneven thrashing, the blow was not accurate, and only caused the lids to bleed and crack, saving the optics from being completely crushed in their sockets.

Sesshomaru’s screams amplified, only match by Rin’s, who was furiously scratching and clawing on Naraku’s back, beseeching that he stop this madness. He ignored the girl, grinning harshly, and hit Sesshomaru this time across the chin, spattering the walls with a spray of crimson. Sesshomaru’s neck lashed to the right where the force carried him, listlessly moaning at last. Once he was quiet and useless, Naraku only took a few moments to hit him an assorted amount of times, before he grew bored. This was when he turned and scooped the hysteric Rin into his bloody arms, and nuzzled her while he carried the thrashing human away to his chambers. There would be more to do in there…but this was not for an audience. His audience would hopefully be awake later.

♥

Kagome had been sitting there for hours, daring to make no sound. It was true that she was handicapped by her sore limbs and unbearable hunger/thirst, but the force before her was reason enough to put aside such trivial weakness.

Sesshomaru had been discarded with herself and Kikyou a while back, but he had shown no signs of waking up. It had been only in the past half-hour or so that he had stirred at all, and his actions were not what seemed to be acceptable or safe. She had fiercely struggled to keep from weeping at the sick wounds that would scar him, and she searched for the cold glint of amber in his eyes, but only found swollen, scarlet lids in this attempt. Her wrists were raw, and she had tried wriggling her way so she might get a better look at him, but each inch gave way to a great realization that even though he was demon, Sesshomaru had a reasonable chance of dying from his battle with Naraku.

But even though he had seemed to weak to awaken, muess ess shift his weight, Sesshomaru had given multiple tosses of his head, the oncoming darkness of the prisoner’s chamber making it no less eerie. His was definitely irritable, but he said nothing, the loose folds of his lips split in 5 different paths, each deep and woeful to Kagome. He had been of such brilliant beauty that it had almost made Kagome (though she felt oddly uncomfortable admitting it) jealous. In their bathing time, she had trouble discarding her gaze from the firm contours of his naked chest and arms, and she had longed to brush through the fine silver tresses ever since she had laid eyes upon him. And now…now he was a meager excuse for demon aristocraticism. She even doubted that Inuyasha would be able to muster anger at his brother for all his crimes, should hly lly look upon his sibling now. She stifled a sob, closing her eyes tightly to forget the haggard image before her and focus on the flower-tending Sesaru aru she had become quite comfortable with in the past days.

But this musing was surrendered when Sesshomaru cried out, shoving his head forward with a hungry smack of his tongue to his cracked lips. He did not seem to notice any pain, and despite being obviously wounded, he thrashed and howled with everything that resembled a caged beast. Kagome glanced at him now, her black mane falling behind she leaned back, mouth agape with the twisting plot that had been set before her. Where once had been a demon of beautiful (although distracting) character was now a red-eyed monster that frothed at the mouth, and even with a string of saliva dribbling down his bloody chin. His teeth had indeed thickened in mass, the tops lengthened to the point of protruding when his mouth dared to shut, but this was only as he took a deep breath. She knew at once he was sniffing, and she had a hunch that the scent of her fear was intoxicating to him as it had been during that nightmare in the castle’s corridor.

The menacing hues struggled to focus in their battered holes, peering down at her with a final and decisive tilt in his mouth, the grin a mask of anguish and hatred. His chin jutted curiously, before the nearly comical expression of brief stupidity wavered behind a cloud of dull bloodlust. “Kagome.”

The name was final and questioning, before Sesshomaru threw back his head and let out a scream that shook the chamber walls and made Kagome shriek with terror. The Lord pulled tiredly on his chains and murmured her name again, now with no hint of recognition, and he groped for her with his pale fingers. She leaned back, praying that he was tethered far enough away, and let a moan escape her throat when his grip passed only inched from her. He strained, leaning forward with more determination, and let out another scream, littering her face with bloody spittle. Kagome screamed with him, but her voice beckoned for help, and she fought to put distance between her and the monster that was once (sadly enough) a “man” she had gained a certain fondness for. She could only hope he did not tear himself loose, now that it seemed Naraku had broken his human charm.

♥


[Writer] XD Lmao! Could it have taken me longlonger to update? ^_^;; Sorry everyone for the 2 week break, I just had tons to catch up on. Like...sleep. -nods- But I'm back to writing now. Besides o.o I'm afriad if I don't finish it by Monday all my friends are going to kill me -ducks under a cracking whip- Aie! Also, you will find all chapters prior to this one edited and corrected for all typos. I have a tendency to type before I spell, so there were many. I'll try and fix any mistakes upon finding them in my printed copy. Reviews as always please ^_^[End Writer]